Sheath for keeping golf club grips dry and method of use

ABSTRACT

A sheath for keeping a golf club grip dry when laid on wet ground includes upper and lower portions arranged to form a pocket therebetween. The pocket has an opening sized to enable at least one golf club grip to be inserted therein. The lower portion includes a water-resistant layer for resisting the entry of moisture into the pocket when the lower portion of the sheath is laid on wet ground. The water-resistant layer is longer than a length of the grip and extends past the opening in a direction away from the pocket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to golf accessories and, in particular, to a sheath for keeping golf grips dry, as well as to a method of using the sheath.

[0002] During the playing of golf on a golf course, there sometimes occurs the need for a golfer to approach his or her lie at an appreciable distance from the golfer's bag of clubs. For example, if the golfer is riding in a cart, he or she may leave the cart and the bag of clubs in order to reach the ball in cases where the ball is near the green, or if the carts are restricted to a golf path due to a wet fairway that could be damaged by the cart's wheels. In such a case, it is common for the golfer to take more than one club to the ball, e.g., a chipping iron and a putter, or different fairway clubs if he or she is not sure of the state of the lie and/or a distance from the ball to the green.

[0003] In any event, the golfer will hit the ball with one club after laying the remaining club(s) on the ground. If the fairway is wet, however, it is likely that the grip of the laid-down club(s) will become wet, thereby making the grip(s) slippery and difficult to hold when later used.

[0004] Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a simple, inexpensive way to keep the grips dry when laid on wet ground.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention relates to a sheath for keeping a golf club grip dry when laid on wet ground. The sheath comprises upper and lower portions arranged to form a pocket therebetween. The pocket has an opening sized to enable at least one golf club grip to be inserted therein. The lower portion includes a water-resistant layer for resisting the entry of moisture into the pocket when the lower portion of the sheath is laid on wet ground. The water-resistant layer is longer than a length of the golf club grip and extends past the opening in a direction away from the pocket.

[0006] The invention also pertains to a method of keeping a golf club grip dry when laid on wet ground. The method comprises the steps of:

[0007] (A) inserting the grip of the club into an opening of a pocket formed in a sheath; and

[0008] (B) thereafter laying the club and the sheath onto the ground with the grip still disposed in the pocket, and with a water-resistant layer of the sheath disposed between the ground and the pocket, and with a portion of the water-resistant layer extending past the opening in a direction away from the pocket, the water-resistant layer being longer than the golf club grip, wherein the water-resistant layer separates the entire grip from the wet ground.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like elements and in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a top view of a protective sheath according to the present invention, with golf club grips disposed therein;

[0011]FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of the sheath;

[0012]FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

[0013]FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the sheath.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0014] A protective sheath 10 according to the present invention comprises upper and lower portions 12, 14 forming a pocket 16 between one another. The upper and lower portions are joined (e.g., by stitching) along an edge 18 of the pocket except along an opening 20 of the pocket.

[0015] At least the lower portion 14, but preferably each of the upper and lower portions 12, 14 possesses a water-resistant layer 22, 24 (e.g., formed of plastic or plastic foam). If desired, either or both of the upper and lower portions 12, 14 could also be provided with a fabric layer 26, 28 disposed atop the respective water-resistant layer and being less water-resistant than the water-resistant layer. Preferably, each water-resistant layer is fully waterproof.

[0016] The pocket 16 is preferably of a length no shorter than the length of a golf club grip so that the entire grip can be sheltered therein.

[0017] The lower portion 14 extends past the opening 20 in a direction away from the pocket to form an extended segment 21 so that when the lower portion is laid on wet ground, the segment 21 prevents moisture from entering the pocket along a lower edge of the opening 20. The length L of the lower portion 14 (and the water-resistant layer) should be longer than the grip. Preferably, however, length L′ of the pocket is at least as long as the grip length to ensure that the entire grip can be contained dryly within the pocket in case it is raining.

[0018] A suspension loop 30 is disposed on the sheath. One end of the loop 30 is attached (e.g., by stitching) to the pocket edge 18, and an opposite end carries a strip of Velcro (not shown) that can be releasably attached to a strip 32 of Velcro attached to the upper portion 12. The loop enables the sheath to be suspended from a suitable ring, loop, aperture, etc. of a golf bag. Instead of being fastened by Velcro, the loop 30 could be fastened by other suitable devices, such as a snap or a buckle, for example.

[0019] The sheath is used in cases when a golfer must leave his/her golf bag in order to reach the ball on a wet fairway and must take along multiple (i.e., two or more) clubs 40, 42. Prior to leaving the bag, the golfer inserts the grips 44, 46 into the pocket 16 of the sheath, which sheath has been removed from a suspension structure of the golf bag by separating the Velcro end of the loop from the Velcro strip 32. Upon reaching his/her lie, the golfer selects and removes one of the clubs from the sheath. The remaining club(s) is then laid onto the wet fairway with the grip(s) thereof still disposed in the pocket 16. The sheath is laid down such that the lower portion 14 rests on the ground, whereupon the water-resistant layer 24 of that lower portion resists the entry of moisture into the pocket from below. Also, since the water-resistant layer extends past the pocket opening 20, moisture cannot enter the pocket along a lower edge of the opening 20.

[0020] The presence of the sheath makes the clubs more visible as they lay on the ground, so the golfer will be less likely to forget them. This advantage could be enhanced by making the sheath of a bright color that contrasts with the green fairway.

[0021] If the upper portion 12 were to also possess a water-resistant layer 22, moisture from rain would be resisted from entering the pocket from above.

[0022] It will be appreciated that the sheath according to the invention keeps golf club grips from getting wet and slippery, even when one or more club must be laid upon wet ground. The sheath is simple, inexpensive, and easy to store and use.

[0023] Although the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additions, deletions, modifications, and substitutions not specifically described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A sheath for keeping a golf club grip dry when laid on wet ground, the sheath comprising upper and lower portions arranged to form a pocket therebetween; the pocket having an opening sized to enable at least one golf club grip to be inserted therein; the lower portion including a water-resistant layer for resisting the entry of moisture into the pocket when the lower portion of the sheath is laid on wet ground; the water-resistant layer being longer than a length of the golf club grip and extending past the opening in a direction away from the pocket.
 2. The sheath according to claim 1 wherein the lower portion includes a fabric layer disposed atop the water-resistant layer and being less water-resistant than the water-resistant layer.
 3. The sheath according to claim 2 wherein the upper portion includes a water-resistant layer.
 4. The sheath according to claim 1 wherein the upper portion includes a water-resistant layer.
 5. The sheath according to claim 1 wherein the waterproof layer of the lower portion comprises part of a water-resistant portion of the sheath which encircles the pocket except along the opening thereof.
 6. The sheath according to claim 1 wherein the upper and lower portions are joined together along a peripheral edge of the pocket.
 7. The sheath according to claim 1, wherein the sheath further includes suspension means for suspending the sheath from a support.
 8. The sheath according to claim 1 further including a loop for suspending the sheath, a first end of the loop attached to the sheath, and a second end of the loop carrying a fastener for removably attaching the second end to the sheath.
 9. The sheath according to claim 8 wherein the fastener comprises Velcro.
 10. A method of keeping a golf club grip dry when laid on wet ground, comprising the steps of: A) inserting the grip of the club into an opening of a pocket formed in a sheath; and B) thereafter laying the club and the sheath onto the ground with the grip still disposed in the pocket, and with a water-resistant layer of the sheath disposed between the ground and the pocket, and with a portion of the water-resistant layer extending past the opening in a direction away from the pocket, the water-resistant layer being longer than the golf club grip, wherein the water-resistant layer separates the entire grip from the wet ground. 